Snapshots of Love
by DawnsEternalLight
Summary: Five stories, five snapshots into the lives of Apollo Justice and Athena Cykes. Over the course of these will they find love and if they do will it last? Each story can be read on it's own, but they're all better as a loose collection.
1. Crash Landing

Hey guys and happy JustiCykes day! I've written a collection of JustiCykes fics that are snapshots in their lives, little moments that turned big. They can all be read as their own stories, but there is a loose connection between each. I hope you enjoy them.

* * *

"Apollo, don't freak out, but I'm in the detention center."

"Athena, you're on a case, of course you're at the detention center. Stop starting all your phone calls like that," Apollo said, leaning back in his chair at the Wright Anything Agency.

"I thought I really had you that time. Maybe next time I should bring Trucy along and have her be the one to call you?" Athena's voice sounded thoughtful on the other end of the line and Apollo was worried she was serious.

"Don't, Trucy would go along with it you know," He said tilting the chair back as he talked, balancing it on one leg while he lightly bounced the seat back and forth with his foot resting on the desk.

If Phoenix or Trucy spotted him like this he knew he'd get an earful about taking care of office property and if he fell the medical costs were on him, but there was little else to do while he waited for Athena to get to her point, she was still going on about the ways she might be able to trick him.

He smiled at a particularly crazy suggestion, at the same time his foot slipped and his stomach lurched as the chair tugged him backward slamming into the ground.

"Ah-ahhhh! Owww!" his shout fell in time with the chair's crashing sending the phone flying out of his hand.

He scrambled to stand and retrieve the phone, because who knew what Athena was thinking right now, but one of his feet got stuck on the armrest and in his hurry he tripped forward again, twisting his ankle painfully. Irritated he yanked his foot away, but when he went to step on it the pressure was too much and it gave out, sending him back to the ground with another yelp.

He pulled his hurt foot towards him and poked at it gingerly, hissing with pain and irritation when he found the tender spot indicating what was probably a sprain. He cast his eyes around the room for his phone spotting it resting by Charlie.

Bracing himself with the desk he pulled himself into a standing position, careful to avoid putting pressure on his injured foot and hopped over to the plant before scooping up the phone in one exasperated motion.

The screen showed his regular home menu, with no sign of his being on the line, meaning it must have disconnected when it fell. He redialed but the phone wouldn't connect, instead it made a strange strangled beep and the screen faded to black.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Apollo shook the phone and smacked it a few times for good measure before trying to get it to turn back on, "Come on, come on. Stupid piece of junk," He muttered to it as he struggled to get it to do something.

He would have dropped the thing and used the office phone to call Athena back, but in an epic lack of foresight he'd never bothered to memorize her number, instead trusting his phone to do it for him.

At last he gave up and tossed it to the couch across the room, where it bounced but landed securely on a cushion. He sighed and hobbled over. He'd made it halfway before the door to the room crashed open, startling him to the point where he stepped down on the wrong foot and released all his weight onto it. He stumbled forward a step before crashing into a table and falling once more.

"Apollo!" Athena was by his side in an instant her questions coming at him faster than he could process them, "What happened? Are you alright? It sounded like you were being attacked, were you? What happened to your phone? Why didn't you call me back? Why is the chair toppled over?"

Through the barrage of questions Apollo grimaced and shifted to take the pressure off his ankle, ignoring Athena mostly because his head was spinning. He finally managed, "Athena, try breathing between questions."

"Right," she paused and noticed his foot, "Oh, my gosh! Is your foot ok? Apollo, look at your ankle, it's so swollen! What are you doing on your feet? Why didn't you sit down?"

"Athena," Apollo said.

She clamped her mouth shut and smiled, "Let me help you to the couch, and then you can tell me what happened," she said helping him to stand

When they reached the couch Apollo fell into it with a plop. "Thanks," he sighed as Athena took her seat next to him.

"So?" she prompted.

Apollo blushed, "It's not all that exciting."

"Not good enough. I ran all the way over here, I deserve an explanation."

"Fine," Apollo took in a deep breath and started, "I had my chair tilted back while we were talking and my foot slipped making me fall. That's the crash you heard. After that I twisted my ankle on the chair trying to stand, and broke my phone sometime during all that mess. I was on my way to the couch when you burst in and I tripped again," the words spilled out in quick order, Apollo wanting to be done with the whole explanation as fast as possible.

Athena laughed, "Apollo, you're such a klutz."

"Your one to talk," he muttered.

"Not nice," Athena pouted.

"You started it."

"No I didn't. Besides, shouldn't I get a reward for coming to save you?"

Apollo grinned at her, "A reward? For rescuing me from my own clumsiness? I dunno."

"Well if you're not going to give me one, I may have to take it," Athena said.

"Oh, and how are you planning to do that? I'm injured remember?" Apollo challenged.

Athena leaned forward, "I can get creative."

Apollo felt his face heating up, flirting was one thing. This was another.

He and Athena flirted a lot, it was easy when you worked closely with one another in an office like the Wright Anything Agency. The lack of employees, and the time they spent together had made strong bonds quickly between Athena and himself, and the events of the Phantom trial had only strengthened those bonds.

As Apollo sat there, his ankle throbbing, Athena playfully flirting with him, and him flirting back he realized something. That the bright, energetic girl in front of him was the only person he wanted running to rescue him from a clumsy fall. That he cared more about how she thought of him than anyone else he knew. And that like the onset of a spring storm he'd fallen for her slowly, and then all at once like a downpour he had no control over.

All at once he felt shy and bold, confident and terrified. What if she didn't feel the same way? What if her flirting was little more than a diversion? His stomach fell from him, faster than it had during his fall, and the words tumbled from his lips, clumsy and not at all eloquent like his fuzzy mind thought they should be.

"Why not dinner?"

Her face creased into a frown and he felt the pit that was his stomach grow deeper, "What?" she blinked.

"Dinner. You know, you and me at a restaurant eating food. That would make a pretty good reward. Unless you'd like something else?" He tagged the last bit on as an out for her, a way to smoothly get out of his request.

He wasn't even sure he'd really asked her out until a smile, like the breaking of dawn over a mountain, lit her face up, warming his insides with hope.

"Apollo Justice, are you asking me out?"

"If I am?" he asked his confidence returning.

"Then I'd say, let's skip dinner and go somewhere like an amusement park. First dates are so boring if you have to sit across from one another the entire time," she grinned.

He laughed, "Alright, but after my ankle is better. You wouldn't want me tripping all over the place."

She nodded, "For now, why don't we relax? Mr. Wright will be back soon with Trucy and we can take care of your ankle then." She snatched the tv remote and clicked on the set before tucking herself close to Apollo.

They sat that way for a moment before, "Athena, don't you have a case to take care of?"

She jumped up, jostling Apollo, "Your right! Apollo you distracted me!"

'I distracted you?' Apollo thought, but didn't dare speak it as Athena ran out the door leaving him by himself again. Although, this time he didn't feel so alone. He was going to go out on a date with Athena. That thought comforted him for a moment before he realized at some point Trucy and Phoenix would find out and who knew how they'd respond.


	2. Operation Perfect First Date

**Operation Perfect First Date**

Athena couldn't stop playing with her earring, and she felt a little sick to her stomach as an army of butterflies seemed intent on racing their way thought it. She hadn't been this nervous since she'd taken the bar exam.

"Hey I got the tickets," Apollo said bounding over, in one balled fist he carried two slips of paper.

"Great, then we can head in," Athena beamed and linked arms with him. Together the two strolled into the amusement park, Athena's butterflies setting with each step.

Unbeknownst to them four eyes followed their every move. The eyes belonged to Trucy Wright and Pearl Fey, and both girls were intent their friends have the perfect first date. They waited with impatient fidgeting for Apollo and Athena to make it past the ticket counter. Then in unison they sprang forth and took their own places in line.

They stayed out of the lawyer's lines of vision by ducking behind signs, people, and Pearl even threw herself under a bench at one point to avoid detection. From the moment both had heard that Apollo had asked Athena out they knew the date had to be perfect.

Pearl had been the one to suggest their following the two around to make sure things went ok, and Trucy thought of the idea of bringing 'date saving supplies' which included some chocolate, a hankie that turned into a bouquet of flowers, and a pre-written apology note in case Apollo really screwed up.

Trucy had also wanted to bring a Make Everything Better Puppy, but Pearl was worried the park wouldn't let them in, so they settled on an Emergency Puppies gift card taped to the apology note.

The hardest part of following their two friends around the amusement park was keeping Pearl off the rides. If they rode anything it was in the train car after Apollo and Athena's to avoid being spotted in the pictures.

"What do you think they're talking about?" Peal whispered from behind a set of thick bushes. She turned to Trucy and noticed her cape was sticking out in full view, "Trucy! Your cape!"

"Shhhh!" Trucy threw a finger to her lips as Pearl tugged the cape out of the way.

"Sorry."

They returned their eyes to Apollo and Athena who were whispering to one another in fast tones. Apollo looked a little confused and then he shook his head, "No. Athena, no," It was just loud enough for them to hear.

"Is he mad at her?" Pearl whispered and Trucy shook her head.

"They're just disagreeing over something. It's nothing to worry about."

Pear bit at her thumb, "Are you sure? Athena looks a little irritated, she's doing that hands on her hips thing."

Trucy looked back over at the two lawyers who up until this point had been doing fine on their date, better even than she'd hoped for. Now they seemed to have a wall between them. They were moving again and she and Pearl had to hurry to find a new scouting spot.

Less than ten minutes later the shouting began, and Trucy was at a loss on how to fix it.

"Oh no. You don't get to say that. No way, you can't blame this on my having lived in Europe, Justice!" Athena's fists were balled at her sides and Pearl grabbed one of Trucy's hands.

"Make it better, Truce, hurry!"

Apollo was reaching for Athena, "Come on Athena, I didn't mean it that way."

"Oh and how did you mean it? Remember Justice, I can hear your heart," She spun to stomp off but Apollo grabbed her arm.

"Come on Athena, don't be that way. Just take a few breaths and calm down. We're making a scene."

"Fine if you're not going to take care of it I will," Pearl began rolling up her sleeves as she went to stand.

Trucy grabbed for Pearl's arm, "Not now, if we interfere we'll only make it worse."

Pearl bit her lip, "But, this was supposed to be the perfect date. What about your note?"

Trucy nodded and snuck around to the bench where the lawyers had stopped and poked the note into Apollo's pocket, tugging on it to make sure he noticed something was there. Then she rushed back to her spot by Pearl.

Apollo was just reaching into his pocket to read the note when Athena snatched it out of his hand, "What's this? Some kind of pre-made apology? That's it, we're done Justice."

She tugged her arm out of his arm and stormed off leaving Apollo standing alone.

"What do we do now?" Pearl looked at Trucy who shrugged.

"Head back to the office and see what we can do about the fallout, I guess." She said.

As they left Apollo sulked off to one of the parks restaurants. Once he was sure both Trucy and Pearl had left he ducked inside and found Athena sitting at one of the tables, two milkshakes in front of her.

"I got you chocolate, is that ok?" she grinned.

He slid into the seat across from her, "Of course. But don't you think we were a little harsh back there? They we're only trying to make sure we had a good date."

They'd each noticed the girls early on in their date. It was hard not to notice a tail with two sets of super senses, Athena had heard their first whispered plans and Apollo's sharp eyes had noticed them 'hiding' behind a few pedestrians long before Trucy left her cape in full view.

It was that even however that gave Athena the idea to prank them as a little harmless payback for their spying.

She waved off his worry, "They'll be fine, we'll order them some emergency puppies as an apology."

"What?" he frowned and she handed him the card she'd snatched. He took it and found the gift card taped to the back, "They thought of everything didn't they?" he laughed.

Athena nodded, taking a sip of her shake, "They're good girls, I just couldn't help myself," she said with a grin, "Thanks for going along with it."

He smiled back, "I'm pretty sure if I didn't then that fight back there might have been real."

"Smart man," Athena winked and Apollo almost choked into his milkshake.

"You wouldn't have broken up with me over a joke would you?"

Athena gave him a frown for all of two seconds before breaking into a full laugh, and Apollo relaxed a little, "Of course I wouldn't," she said once she finally settled down.

"That's good, as long as I always go with your jokes we can stay together forever."

* * *

Pearl paced the office while Trucy kept making a bunny appear and disappear from her hat as they waited for Apollo or Athena to return to the office. At some point they both had to, because they'd left some of their stuff there, neither girl knew when that would be.

All their activity stopped when the door cracked open and instead of Apollo or Athena both came in, followed by two golden retriever puppies. The fluffy, clumsy dogs bounded past the lawyers making a line for both girls. Pearl, forgetting everything but the puppy in front of her scooped it up and let it lick her face.

The other one ran circles around Trucy as she looked between Apollo and Athena confused, "What's going on? I thought you two-" she clamped her hands to her mouth to stop herself from giving away that they'd followed them.

Apollo smiled, "It's fine, Truce. We already know you two were at the park today."

Pearl looked up from the puppy, "You do?"

"It didn't take much for us to find out," Athena shrugged.

"Then the whole thing was a prank?" Trucy frowned.

Apollo stepped forward, "You're not mad are you?"

She crossed her arms and eyed the two for a moment before shaking her head, "No, if it had been me, I would have done the same thing," she grinned, "Maybe I'd have made my boyfriend disappear too…either way I'm glad you two aren't fighting."

"You're not fighting right?" Peal asked.

Athena put her hands on her hips, "Would we have brought puppies if we were fighting?"

"Probably not," Pearl said, "Puppies are for celebrating after all."


	3. Three Magic Words

**Three Magic Words**

It was funny the way the sun shone red through the back of one's eyelids. Everything was red these days to Athena. The color shone in a way it never had before, and it was all because of one man. Since she'd started dating Apollo her old revulsion of the color had faded away, replaced with a love for it fueled by her love for the man who represented it, or perhaps he was represented by it? Athena couldn't decide as she sat, her eye's closed and head tilted back as if it would help her soak up just a little more of the warm summer light.

"Hey, Tiger," the words were followed by a kiss to her forehead and Athena's eyes opened to see a grinning Apollo leaning over her, "We're you daydreaming about me?" he asked.

She frowned, "As if, you took so long I'd almost fallen asleep from boredom."

He shrugged, "I can't help it if the kid in front of me couldn't decide on a flavor. Scoot," Athena obliged his request, moving over from the middle of the bench, to a side, making room for him.

"And?" Athena prompted.

He sat and handed her a popsicle, "One Orange Creamsicle just like you ordered."

Athena took it and pulled the plastic off in one swift motion before taking a bite from the top, "Mmmm, yummy."

Apollo shook his head, "I'll never understand your love for those. Now chocolate? That's classic," he winked before starting in on his own fudgesicle.

"If it's so classic, that means you don't mind my taking a bite, to sample the competition?" Athena said, and before Apollo could argue she pulled the ice cream towards her and took a bite.

"Hey!" Apollo said, but there was a smile in his argument.

"Next time get me two."

"You'll get a stomach ache."

"Pfft, impossible."

They went on like that, picking on one another while stealing bites of each other's ice cream for a while and it felt good, comfortable even. Athena hadn't felt this comfortable with someone in a long time. She'd been too busy working to save Simon to take much time out for boyfriends, besides most guys were turned off when they learned she could hear their hearts.

But not Apollo, he had his own special gift. His sharp eyesight, paired with the bracelet he claimed he was still figuring out, made him almost as good as she was at reading people. Athena loved Apollo. There was no doubt in her mind about it. Neither was there any doubt in her mind of Apollo's feelings for her. So why did this moment feel off all of a sudden?

"What's wrong?" Apollo's word's pulled her back to him.

"Nothing, I just got lost in thought for a moment," she said jumping to her feet, "Come on, let's head into the station. I want to say hi to mom before we leave."

When not being used to move or build rockets the wide lawn at the Cosmos Space Center was used as picnic and stargazing grounds and had become a regular haunt for the two lawyers.

It hadn't surprised either of them when their aimless walks kept taking them to the center, no matter who led. They each had strong ties there and at last made a pact to visit together almost weekly. It was easier for both of them to be there together.

"Ok." He said. They tossed their used popsicle sticks in one of the trash bins and headed in. Athena's hand found Apollo's as soon as they stepped through the door and he gave her a reassuring squeeze. It was never easy for Athena to visit, but it got better, especially with Apollo by her side. She knew the same was true for him.

This time as they wandered the halls and played with Ponco Athena didn't feel that gradual ease she usually did, she didn't let go of Apollo's hand either. By the time they made it to the museum she was on the verge of tears. She held them back, not because she didn't want Apollo to see, she was sure he already knew, but because the museum was busy and she hated crying in front of other people.

"Want to go home?" Apollo asked as they stood together looking at the Hat-1 Mission memorabilia. Athena shook her head.

Apollo turned to her, squeezing her hand, "Tell me what's wrong, let me help?" it was a question, he didn't want to push her too far, but Athena could hear the worry and love in that question.

She'd always been able to hear the love in Apollo's heart. It had a tone to it that Athena loved hearing, and every word he said held it in an undercurrent, making her always eager to hear him speak. She knew he knew her feelings as well. In every action, movement, and twitch she knew he could tell. It wasn't his bracelet telling him, but his own knowledge of her. With all that love between them, why hadn't either told the other in plain words?

Had they grown so comfortable in the knowledge of the unsaid that the words didn't need saying? Or was she just being silly?

"Athena?"

"Sorry, I- I don't know what's wrong with me today," it was a lame excuse, but also the truth. He frowned and looked her over, a hand brushing her cheek where a stray tear had managed to escape her careful guard.

"Come on, Tiger. You can tell me."

"Do you love me?" She wanted to take back the words the moment they left her mouth. They were silly, childish, a betrayal.

Apollo's face softened, "You know I do."

"Then say them. Please, Apollo, you never have"

"I haven't?" he frowned then, "I haven't, but neither have you."

Athena knew he hadn't meant the words to sting the way they did, but knowing that didn't help ease the hurt. Apollo noticed it immediately and reached out for her.

"Athena, I didn't, I- Ugh, I'm not very good with this. I'm much better at the loud comforting stuff," He looked so lost Athena couldn't help but smile.

"I'm sorry," he said at last, "I was so happy that we could communicate on a different level. I took your hearing for granted, and I'm sorry."

He shifted on his feet and tucked both hands into his pockets, he looked up at her and Athena couldn't read his eyes, her racing heart made her wish she could, wish she could read his mind and find out what those next words would be, she didn't have long to wait.

"I love you, Athena Cykes, in fact I adore you. When I look at you, it's better than looking at the stars in the sky, you light up my life in a way no one else does. I don't know if I could live without you," while he spoke he was fumbling with something in his hands, and then in what she was sure was supposed to be a smooth motion, he went down on one knee, almost falling once, before holding a box out to her, "I've been trying to tell you all this for a while, and I've been looking for a good place but-"

Shaky hands lifted the lid, "Will you make me the happiest guy in the world and marry me, so I can tell you how much I love you every day?"

Athena's eyes locked on the ring in the box, and she felt like a goldfish with her eyes bugging out and her mouth dropped open.

"It's red."

He blushed, "It's a ruby. I like red, plus there's diamonds around it."

"It's perfect."

"Is that a yes?"

"Of course it is you dummy now put it on my finger so I can kiss you."


	4. The Color Red

**The Color Red**

They'd always known what they did was dangerous. Not risk getting blown up all the time, or shot at constantly dangerous, but dangerous all the same. One never knew when an investigation might go wrong or an angry client might want revenge.

That day they hadn't been expecting any danger, and thinking back on it the not expecting only made it worse when it happened. Athena couldn't say exactly what they'd been doing, investigating was all she could ever come up with, even years later. And investigating they'd been when there was the blur of a red car and the shot rang out. Eventually the police determined the shooter had been a rival of the Kitaki family, lashing out for Apollo's involvement in Wocky's case, but none of that mattered to Athena.

Not when one moment Apollo was by her side, laughing and joking and the next collapsed. She couldn't recall who called the ambulance, she'd been too busy struggling to keep Apollo's blood in his body. Pressed to his side her hands were soaked in red as it flooded the street and painted the white sleeves his dress shirt in violent streaks, the tight rolls coming loose.

For the first time since she'd met him she found herself hating the color red.

They'd taken her in the ambulance alongside Apollo, not because she's begged to go (she had) but because she was in shock. When they arrived it took a team of nurses to keep her from following him as they wheeled him down that long hallway that seemed to stretch out to eternity.

She remembered passing out. That slow fall into unconsciousness where all she could think of was how sad Apollo would be if he found out she hated his color.

By the time she woke up he'd been through surgery and had been given a blood transfusion, from Trucy of all people. Phoenix told her all this from beside her bed, where they'd put her when she'd passed out. She wasn't officially admitted so she could go as soon as she felt up to it.

"I want to see him," she'd said. She insisted, despite Phoenix telling her to wait, that he looked bad, that she should probably rest a little more herself. He tried to dissuade her all the way to Apollo's room.

She spent days in that room, by his side, and even crawling up on the bed with him when things got too bad. Every day she prayed he would open his eyes, and every day the doctors said the chances were slimmer and slimmer.

Trucy brought him a red blanket, hoping it would help. Athena wanted to throw it out, she wanted to tear it up that horrible, horrible red. But she didn't because Apollo loved red, and maybe, somehow, it would help.

She'd stopped looking in the mirror not because she hated the almost permanent tear tracks that lined her face, or because she couldn't stand the hollow look in her eyes, but because of her hair. Even pulled back in a bun, kept from falling in her vision, the red locks still brought back images of his blood every time she caught sight of them.

She promised Apollo everything, if he'd only just wake up. That vacation he always talked about, but never took, a year of cleaning the office, that she'd stay with him forever if he'd only just wake up.

Long after the gunshot wound had healed she was curled up against him, playing with the ring he'd given her just a week before the shooting. Fiddling with the band and making red sparkle from the light. There was a ruby set into it, meant to set them apart from other engaged couples, and also because he liked red.

"Please," her voice cracked, "Please wake up," she begged into his chest, "I promise, I'll love red again. But only if you wake. If you don't, I don't think I'll ever-" she couldn't go on so instead she pressed closer to him, "Please."


	5. Like Glass

**Like Glass**

The door opened a crack before pausing a moment and opening all the way. The door itself hadn't paused of course, but the person behind it had, and Apollo knew exactly who it was before she walked into the office. She didn't know she did it, and he didn't tell her, but every time she came into a room, any room, she thought he might be in she checked, paused to paste a smile on her face, and then entered.

It was like she was preparing for war and it broke his heart every time she did it.

"Hey Apollo, I thought you were working a case with Mr. Wright today?" she strolled in, towards her desk, her eyes never leaving the polished wood to look at him.

"He sent me back to do some research, what about you?"

She picked up a stack of papers and waved it in his direction, "I forgot a case file."

Apollo didn't need his bracelet to know it was a lie, she'd come to check on him. Athena came to check on him all the time, her check-in's were little things, silly excuses, anything really so she could reassure herself he was still ok, still alive.

She turned to leave but Apollo didn't want her to. Since she broke up with him he rarely saw her, and he missed her so much, "Athena, wait," it was his pathetic excuse to see her just a little bit longer.

She paused, but didn't turn, didn't say a word.

"I need your opinion on this, it's a voice sample and you know I'm no good with those. Would you mind?"

Her shoulder's relaxed and by the time she'd turned back towards him there was that pasted smile again, so close to the real thing, but so far away. He pulled back out of the seat to make room for her. She slipped into it and tugged his headphones on. One minute, then two ticked by as she listened, then almost ten had passed as she replayed it a few times, her eyes closed in concentration.

Apollo stared, unapologetically. It hadn't been his decision to separate, he'd fought it with everything in him. But after the accident Athena was unmovable, she'd been stuck to him like glue until he was fully recovered and then she was gone. He was ok, and so she didn't need to be there, that's what she'd said. She'd told him she couldn't do it again, couldn't go through the pain of almost losing him, and it was better for them both this way.

Apollo argued that it was worse. He still argued it, silently most of the time, but she knew he felt it.

"Got it!" she looked up at him, a real smile of victory this time on her face. Statistically it was bound to happen, she couldn't go this long without some sort of glance. He treasured that smile for the second it appeared, then like clouds covering the sun it was gone, replaced by the fake one, but the damage was done. Once her eyes rested on him they stuck there, as fast and sure as his did every time he saw her.

Since the shooting she'd looked at him like he was broken glass, beyond repair and dangerous to touch. No that wasn't it, she looked at him like she was the glass, and he a delicate petal too fragile for her to even get close to. As if he would break under the gentlest of winds and she was far more powerful than that.

He couldn't take it any longer, the silence between them. The not talking about it. He took her hand, "Athena, I'm fine."

"I didn't say you weren't."

"You didn't have to."

She tried to pull away, ripping her gaze from him to stare at a wall. Her silence creating a barrier between them. Apollo turned the chair so she was looking at him.

"Say it with me, and I'll leave you alone," he pleaded.

Her brow creased in a frown, "Say what?"

"That I'm Apollo and I'm fine."

She raised an eyebrow at him, "I'm not Apollo, you are."

Apollo sighed, why did she have to be so difficult?

"Just say it," he had no idea if it would fix everything. If it would even make a dent in the armor she'd put on, but it had always worked for him. Why not pray it worked for her?

"Now your fishing for compliments."

"Athena."

The tension eased out of her again as she gave in, "Alright. Your Apollo Justice and your fine."

Now he raised an eyebrow, "I said together with me."

She rolled her eyes and he gave the count, one, two, three, "I'm Apollo Justice and I'm fine!"

He grinned, "Feel better?"

Athena blinked at him, surprise clear as day on her face, "I-I do?" she stood up and looked at him, really looked at him for the first time in months, "Let's say it again?"

He nodded and together they shouted, the sound crashing around the small room in a mess of noise and growing confidence.

"Again," she said.

Apollo obliged her that time and the next three times she asked. Hoarse and a little out of breath she let her hand skim his side, the side where he'd been hurt. He took her hand and pressed it there a small gasp escaping her lips. At some point her other hand trailed his cheek before reaching up to smooth out a loose strand of hair, the red gem on it glittering in the fluorescent lights.

"You really are fine," there was a sense of awe in her voice and a light in her eyes, but no tears and no regret, not now, "Some days I don't believe it, I thought I'd lost you and some days it's like I did. But I didn't, did I?"

"Athena," He whispered and reached up, tilting her head back so he could search her eyes, and he did until he found it, the permission he was looking for. Unable to wait another moment, he closed the space between them his lips meeting hers in a soft, patient kiss, one that despite the look continued to ask for permission.

He pulled away for a moment and her arms went around him, one reaching behind his head to pull him back towards her, their lips meeting in a way that was anything but careful. She pressed him back, step by step until his back hit a wall and he was lost in the kiss, lost in the way she pressed to make up for lost time, lost in the impatient way one hand tangled in his hair and the other snaked under his shirt to rest on the scarred raised patch of skin that marked the change in both their lives.

"Let's get married," Apollo gasped in a break for air.

Athena pulled her hand out of his hair to show him the ring there, "You already asked me that question."

"Yes, but you broke up with me."

"That doesn't change the answer I gave you. Besides, we need to plan it. What about a reception?"

Apollo shook his head, "I don't want to wait that long, not after these past few weeks. Let's run off together. We can still have a reception. I'll even vouch for another wedding, one where everyone's invited. Before that, I want to be able to call you my wife."

She laughed and Apollo felt his heart soar, "I think I know a guy."

He grinned, "I'm not even going to ask how."

"You'd better not or I might not introduce you," she was leaning close to him again.

"Your impossible," he whispered, their faces inches apart.

"And you love me for it." Her breath tickled his nose.

"And I love you for it," he said and close the gap between them, putting back together the broken pieces of their hearts one shattered piece at a time.


End file.
